Craig Hunter

Background

About Craig Hunter

From the tender age of 15 when I saw the Nescafe, “I can see clearly” Ad (1988 – you can find it on YouTube), at the cinema in my hometown of Oxford in the UK I was obsessed with Advertising. I moved to London where I “worked” for Saatchi & Saatchi for a year (with no pay) as a hopeful graduate. Leading me to my first real job as a suit for their rival Publicis. There followed many years of fun where I learnt about the business. I was in a junior Suit on Intel’s biggest ever European print campaign – try proof reading Cromalins in 32 different languages! I moved to an off shoot of DDB to work on Hasbro and was noticed by the Planning Director as someone who was a better Planner than Suit. It turned out she was right. Account Planning was in its zenith, I worked for DDB all over Europe and eventually landed in Australia in ready to work for DDB Sydney. Helping McDonalds, AUSTAR and Johnson & Johnson. I took a promotion and a city change, to Melbourne. Tasked with helping rebuild the Melbourne DDB office, becoming Planning Director and joining the management team. We had a great (fresh and new) team, and we were successful. We retained Kmart and ANZ, won Heinz, Australian Unity, PZ Cussons among others. I started my own business, and in three years we had a decent business working with clients such as ANZ, nab, AGL, Beaurepaires, Esanda, Australian Unity, Fosters VB, and iSelect. I sold the company to Photon (now Enero) and led The Leading Edge for a while, but ran into some nasty politics and bought out. I returned to Blacksheep. Where over the last 10 years I have happily partnered AFL, AGL, ANZ, Australian Unity, Aveo, AV Jennings; Coles, Fosters, General Mills, Lend Lease, Montague, Miele, Medibank, nab, San Churro, South Melbourne Market, Spring Gully, TAC and Victa (to mention a few)! Also, working for many NFPs and smaller start-ups and State and Federal Government. Throughout my career I have enjoyed education and training. I have written and taught Strategic Planning courses through the Advertising Council and APG. As a consultant, I have advised Agencies on creative and strategic planning process and development. I have taught at Deakin as a Sessional Lecturer for the last 4 years within the Communications Degree course (Advertising). I have also, just completed my first book of Brand positioning strategy: Brand Causality. I enjoy advertising, research, and brand strategy as much as I ever did. I am now 50. And look forward to the next chapters in my life. If you got this far thanks for reading!